Sphere puzzle

ABSTRACT

A sphere puzzle having a plurality of sliding blocks, a series of protrusions, and first rails. The sliding blocks move in a double row along rings on tracks through the necks and under the bottom surfaces of second rails and stay fixed in their correct position with the help of a sliding ball on dents of the rings. A missing block enables movements with a large number of combinations, in order to complete required designs on the sphere surface.

This invention relates to a game, where on a spherical surface slidingblocks can be moved in a double row along three mutually perpendicularcircles, with a missing block, offering movements with a large number ofcombinations, in order to complete the required drawing on the sphere.

Existing games of this kind, with three mutually perpendicular circles,usually have a single series of sliding blocks on their ring tracks,without a missing sliding block, offering a limited number of movementcombinations.

The Sphere puzzle, according to the now exposed invention comprisesthree rings (1), (2) and (3), with protrusions (14), (24) and (34) whichcreate six sliding tracks (12), (22) and (32), seven triangular surfacemembers (4) plus a surface member with an opening (5) and convex slidingblocks (7).

The rings (1), (2) and (3) are located on three mutually perpendiculargreat circles of the sphere, and divide the sphere's surface into eightequal regions.

Longitudinally on the first ring (1) there is a series of protrusions(14) which divide the ring into two tracks (12), in the middle of whichthere is a number of dents (19). Also, along the ring there are eightengaging slots (17), four on each side, through which the rings (2) and(3) are connected to the ring (1).

The second ring (2) consists of two identical semi rings (21) engagedwith the ring (1) through the engaging slots (27), forming the secondring (2).

Longitudinally on the semi rings (21) there is a series of protrusions(24) which divide the ring (2) in two tracks (22), in the middle ofwhich there is a number of dents (29). Also, at the end of the semirings (21) there are engaging slots (27) for connecting with the ring(1), and in the middle of the semi rings (21) there is an engagingprojection (28) for connecting with the ring (3).

The third ring (3) consists of two identical semi rings (31) engagedwith ring (1) through the engaging slots (37) and with ring (2) throughthe engaging recesses (38) so forming the third ring (3).

Longitudinally on the semi rings (31) there is a series of protrusions(34) which divide ring (3) in two tracks (32) in the middle of whichthere is a number of dents (39). Also, at the ends of the semi rings(31) there are engaging slots (37) for connecting with ring (1), and inthe middle of the semi ring (31) there is an engaging recess (38) forconnecting with ring (2).

The protrusions (14), (24) and (34) are located in the middle of therings (1), (2) and (3) and separate them into two tracks (12), (22) and(32).

Protrusions (14), (24) and (34) have a T-shaped sectional form with aneck (16), (26) and (36) wherein sliding blocks (7) are driven on thetracks (12), (22) and (32).

Spherical sections between the rings (1), (2) and (3) are covered withseven triangular surface members (4) and one triangular surface member(5) with an opening.

The triangular surface members (4) have a rail (41) across the perimeterwhere sliding blocks (7), driven by the bottom surface of the rail (42),slide on the top surface of the rail (43). The triangular surfacemembers (4) also have three coupling portion retaining hooks (45) withwhich they are fixed on the sides (10) of the rings (1), (2) and (3).

The triangular surface member with an opening (5), has a rail (51)across its perimeter where sliding blocks (7), driven by the bottomsurface of the rail (52), slide on the top surface of the rail (53).Triangular surface member (5) also has three coupling portion retaininghooks (55) with which it is fixed on the sides (10) of the rings (1),(2) and (3). On one side of the triangular surface member (5) there isan opening (54) through which, when assembling the Sphere puzzle,sliding blocks (7) are led on the tracks (12), (22) and (32).

Once the sliding blocks (7) are led on the tracks (12), (22) and (32)through the opening (54), the cover (6) closes the opening (54),securing the blocks (7) on the Sphere puzzle.

Rings (1), (2) and (3) have their sides bounded by the rails (41) and(Si) and the triangular surface members (4) and (5).

Tracks (12), (22) and (32) of the rings (1), (2) and (3) are defined inwidth by the rails (41) and (51) and the protrusions (14), (24) and(34), which drive sliding blocks (7) on tracks (12), (22) and (32) withthe bottom surfaces of the rails (42) and (52) and necks (16), (26) and(36) where they can move and stay fixed in their correct position withthe help of the sliding balls (74) that are on dents (19), (29) and(39).

The sliding blocks (7) consist of two convex surfaces, the bottomsurface (72) and the top surface (73) connected by the neck (71). Thebottom surface (72) has a sliding ball (74) for smooth sliding of theblock (7) on tracks (12), (22) and (32).

The bottom surface (72) of the sliding blocks (7) is trapped in thenecks (16), (26) and (36) and the space under the bottom surfaces of therails (42) and (52) and moves on the tracks (12), (22) and (32), fixedin the right position by the sliding balls (74) that are on dents (19),(29) and (39).

The top surfaces of the rails (73) and the triangular surface members(4) and (5) that form the outer surfaces of the Sphere puzzle, can bepainted with different colors or bear different designs.

1. A sphere puzzle having an outer surface comprising seven triangularsurface members with first rails, the first rails having a bottomsurface; a further triangular surface member with second rails and anopening, the second rails having a bottom surface; a cover; a firstring, a second ring and a third ring, each ring having protrudingguides, each protruding guide having protruding guide necks, and ringcomprising tracks with dents; and a plurality of sliding blocks, adaptedto enter through the opening, the sliding blocks having a stabilityball, wherein the sliding blocks are secured with the cover and drivenby the bottom surfaces of the first and second rails and by theprotruding guide necks; the stability ball is adapted to cooperate inmoving the sliding blocks along the tracks and on finding a position onthe dents; the sliding blocks are adapted to be moved by a human finger,in order to be combined to form a predetermined drawing; and one blockof the sliding blocks is allowed to move by virtue of a missing blockadjacent to said sliding block, so that said one block may take theposition of the missing block.
 2. The sphere puzzle as claimed in claim1, wherein each triangular surface member has a perimeter and each firstrail is arranged across the perimeter, each second rail furthercomprising top portions and three coupling portion retaining hooks. 3.The sphere puzzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the further triangularsurface member has a perimeter and the second rail is arranged acrossthe perimeter, each second rail further comprising top portions andthree coupling portion retaining hooks.
 4. The sphere puzzle as claimedin claim 1, wherein each one of the protruding guides of the first ringis arranged along the length of the first ring, and has a body with aT-shaped section, the protruding guide neck dividing the first ring intwo tracks, the dents being located along a center line of the track,and the first ring having eight engaging slots, four on each side of thefirst ring, to connect the first ring with the second and third rings.5. The sphere puzzle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second ringcomprises two second semi-ring pieces, each one of the protruding guidesof the second ring being arranged along the length of each of the secondsemi-ring pieces, each of the protruding guides having a body with aT-shaped section, the protruding guide neck dividing the second ring intwo tracks, the dents being located along a center line of the track,and the second ring having two connection protrusions, one on each endof the second ring, to connect the second ring with the first ring, andconnection slots located in the middle of the second ring, to connectthe second ring with the third ring.
 6. The sphere puzzle as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the third ring comprises two third semi-ring pieces,each one of the protruding guides of the third ring being arranged alongthe length of each of the third semi-ring pieces, each of the protrudingguides having a body with a T-shaped section, the protruding guide neckdividing the third ring in two tracks, the dents being located along acenter line of the track, and the third ring having two connectionprotrusions, one on each end of the third ring, to connect the thirdring with the first ring, and a connection slot located in the middle ofthe third ring, to connect the third ring with the second ring.
 7. Thesphere puzzle as claimed in claim 6, wherein each sliding blockcomprises two convex surfaces, the top surface and the bottom surface,connected by a block neck, the block neck being adapted to receive theprotruding guides and the rails and wherein the bottom surface of thesliding block cooperates with the protruding guide necks and the bottomsurfaces of the first and second rails to slide on tracks, wherein thestability balls and the dents cooperate to keep the sliding block in afixed position along each ring.
 8. The sphere puzzle as claimed in claim7, wherein the cover seals the opening of the further triangular surfacemember when the sliding blocks are inserted on the tracks.
 9. The spherepuzzle as claimed in claim 8, where the sliding blocks are able to movealong the two tracks of each of the rings, following a double row way,in x−1 number, x being the number of sliding blocks comprised in each ofthe six tracks of the three rings.
 10. The sphere puzzle as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first ring is a complete ring.
 11. The spherepuzzle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bottom surface comprises acantilever with one end fixed on the sliding block and another endattached to the stability ball, wherein the cantilever is free to movebetween a position where the stability ball enters a dent and a positionwhere the stability ball slides on tracks.
 12. The sphere puzzleaccording to claim 1, wherein the number of protruding guides in eachring is equal to the number of sliding blocks in each track, wherein thesliding blocks are adapted to be moved from each track to the paralleladjacent track at any position of the rings.
 13. The sphere puzzleaccording to claim 1, wherein each protruding guide neck is square.